Liquid-raising apparatus of the air-lift type.



No. 659,49I. Patented Get. 9, I900. J. PRICE.

i LIQUID RAISING APPARATUS OF THE AIR LIFT TYPE.

(Application filed. May 28, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

No. 659,49I. Patented Oct. 9, I900.

- J. PRICE.

Ll flUlD RAISING APPARATUS OF THE AIR LIFT TYPE.

- (Application filed. May 28, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 659,49l.

Patented Oct. 9, I900. J. PRICE.

LIQUID RAISING APPARATUS OF THE AIR LIFT TYPE.

(Application filed May 28, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

gal/1. MN

NDYG-LITND, WASHlNGTON, u c.

Urrnn ATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH PRICE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,491, dated October 9, 1960.

Application filed May 28, 1900. b'erial No. 18,269- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that I, JOSEPH Pnronasubject of the Queen of England, residing at London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Liquid- Raising Apparatus, of the Air-Lift Type, (for which application for patent has been made in Great Britain under No. 19,462, dated September 27, 1899,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to liquid-raising apparatus of the air-lift type'that is to say, of the type in which the raising of liquid in a rising main is consequent upon the delivery of a supply of air or an aeriform fluid into it to mingle with and entrain the liquid. Apparatus of this kind as hitherto usually constructed possesses a low commercial efficiency, owing mainly to the fact that it imparts an unnecessarily high velocity to the liquid, thereby wasting energy given to the moving masses of liquid and lost by excessive friction within the apparatus.

The principal object of the present invention is to so construct such apparatus that the velocity of the liquid therein and of its effiuX are reducible to the desired minimum.

Another object of this invention is the construction of the apparatus in such a manner that the inductive action of the air issuing to the rising main is utilized in an efficient manner to exert a lifting elfect upon the water below the point of issue of the air.

Another object of this invention is the construction of improved details applicable with particular advantage to the. improved liquidraiser and applicable also to existing apparatus of the same general type. These details comprise a starting device, spiral guidebla'des within the rising main, improved constructions of air-valves, and an arrangement whereby the pressure of the compressed air is utilized to assist in controlling the position of the air-supply pipe.

The velocity of effiux in the earlier types of apparatus above referred to would be unnecessarily high if it were calculated in relation only to the total volume of water deli vered in a given time through an orifice of given dimensions; but as, in addition to the water, the air delivered in its company has to be considered the real velocity of efiiuX of the water is much greater. The air delivered into the rising main increases in volume as it ascends with the water. Consequently in high lifts involving the employment of air at high pressure the increase in the velocity of efilux of the water is very considerable, because of the correspondingly-high expansion in the volume of air as it ascends the rising main. According to the present invention I employ a rising main the cross sectional area of which available for the rising liquid and air column increases as the top is approached. This maybe accomplished in various ways for instance, by making the rising main in lengths which increase in diameter as they approach the ground-level, or by making the risingmain cylindrical and placing within it an air-supply pipe the cross-sectional area of which gradually increases from the top to the bottom, or, again, the elTect may be pro duced by making both the rising main and the air-supply pipe within it taper, the diameter of the one decreasing toward the bottom of the well, while the diameter of the other increases. In any case the dimensions should be such that the cross-sectional area of the rising main" increases in proportion to the increasing volume of the ascending air.

The air-valves according to this invention are so constructed that the air issuing from them can act after the fashion of an injector upon the water in the rising main, this effect being obtained by providing an adjustable annular orifice for the issuing air.

To lessen any tendency which may exist in liquid-raising apparatus of the air-lift type to separation of the water from the air with which it is mingled, guide-blades, preferably helical or spiral in shape, may be arranged in the rising main. Conveniently these helical blades are secured to the outside of the air-supply pipe, and their pitch is made to decrease as the upper end is approached.

1 In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing portions of one construction of apparatus according to this invention with a tapered rising main. Figs. 2 and 3 are diagrams illustrating rising mains according to this invention having varying cross-sectional areas. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partlyin section, showing details of a portion of the apparatus drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 5 is a crosssection on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4 looking upward. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a side elevation, partly in section, and a central vertical section of another portion of the apparatus also to a larger scale; and Fig. 8 is a cross-section on the line 8 80f Fig. 6.

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

With reference first to Fig. 1, A is an Artesian well or other reservoir in communication with the liquid to be raised. VVit-hin the well A is a rising main B, com municatingwith the liquid at its lower end and having an outflowopening B for the discharge of the liquid. The cross-sectional area of the rising main B increases as the top is approached, such increase being proportional to the increasing volume of the ascending air.

Figs. 2 and 3 show, diagrammatically, two forms of rising main with increasing cross sectional areas. In Fig. 2 the air-supply pipe C within the rising main B is of uniform bore. In Fig. 3 both the rising main B and the inner air-supply pipe 0 are tapered, the one decreasing and the other increasing in cross-sectional area toward the bottom. In practice it. is sometimes convenient to approximate to the true curve by building the rising main or the air-supply pipe, or both, in alternatetaperedandparallelsections. Such a construction is illustrated, by way of example, in Fig. 3.

At the bottom end of the air-supply pipe 0, Fig. 1, is a downwardly-extended hollow cone D, which enters the mouth of a cylindric bell E below it. The bell is weighted, as at E, and is intended to rest upon a stop E fixed within the rising main. A bolt E attached to the bell E, serves to connect it to the cone D, but at the same time allows of axial movement between the cone and'the bell. Details of this portion of the apparatus are shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The lower portion of the cone is faced, as at D, Fig. 4, to form a valve member, which has its seating at E within the cylindrical bell E. Spiral guide-vanes D are provided upon the outside of the cone D and form a bearing for the interior of the bell E and also cause the air which passes down the supply-pipe C and issues between the valve member D and its seating E to How out at the mouth of the hell E in a spiral fashion. It will be seen that the endwise motion of the cone D in relation to the bell E varies the area of the annulus between the cone and the lip of the hell, and thus affords means of regulating the volume and pressure of the issuing air according to the work to be done.

In order to start the apparatus working without the employment of a greater pressure than that required forits normal operation, an auxiliary outlet-valve is provided in the airsupply pipe at a point higher in the rising main than that at which the air normally issues. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 illustrate an improved construction of auxiliary outlet-Valve according to this invention. A cone F, attached to the air-supply pipe 0, is surrounded by a sleeve or casing G, fitted to the upper end of a continuation of the air-supply pipe and having an internal cone, as at G, which forms a seating for the cone F. By raising or lowering the cone F an annular orifice G of variable area is provided between it and its seating G. Fig. 6 shows the auxiliary valve closed, while in Fig. 7 the valve is open. Spiral guides G are formed within the sleeve G and serve to keep the two members forming the valve in axial alinement and also serve to impart a spiral motion to the issuing air. In operation the upper section of the air-supply pipe 0 is lowered, so that the cone F drops from its seating G and allows air to issue from the annular orifice G The air lifts the water above it in the rising main B and also acts as an injector and tends to raise, the water below its point of issue. Before the column of water above the air issuing from the auxiliary valve has made its exit by the outflow-opening B the upper part of the air-supply pipe 0 is raised, so as to close the auxiliary outlet-valve, and a further raising of the air-supply pipe 0 lifts the cone D of the bottom outlet-valve and maintains the action of the apparatus.

In order to impart a spiral motion to the air in the rising main or to assist in the continuation of such motion, spiral guide-vanes H are secured to the exterior of the air-supply pipe 0. These vanes are preferably made with gaps here and there throughout their length, so that a broken spiral is formed.

The lifting of the air-supply pipe necessary for operating the valves may be accomplished in any convenient wayfor instance, by attaching a screwed rod to the top of the pipe 0 and arranging a handwheel as a nut upon the rod, so that it can be raised or lowered by rotating the wheel. Preferably, however, the device illustrated in Fig. 1 is employed. The upper extremity of the air-supply pipe 0 is perforated, as at O, and provided with a piston 0 which works in a closed cylinder 0 air from an. air-pump or other source of pressure being admitted to the under side of the piston, as at 0%. To the upper side of the piston is secured a screwed rod G which passes through a cover (3 and is provided with a hand-wheel O threaded to receive the rod. Encircling the rod C between the hand-wheel C and the cover 0 is a collar C to which is attached a lever C pivoted, as at C and provided with a balance-weight C The weight 0 balances or partially balances the weight of the piston C and the air-supply pipe 0, and the com pressed air when admitted to the cylinder 0 assists the weight 0 The weighted lever 0 is used for quickly raising and lowering the air-supply pipe when either or both of those operations are necessary for starting or stopping the pump. By means of a pin the lever C may be retained in either of three positions, the pin passing through a hole C in the lever and entering one of three holes 0 in a plate 0 over'which the lever moves. The middle position of the lever, as illustrated in Fig. 1, is intended to be that in which the apparatus is left when not at work. If new it be desired to start the pump working, the lever is raised by hand, and consequently the air-supply pipe 0 is lowered and the auxiliary valve F G opened. The air passing out of the auxiliary valve raises the top portion of the column of water in the rising main B and by induction also starts the upward motion of the water in the rising main below the auxiliary valve. As soon as the outflow commences the lever C is quickly brought'into its lowest position and fastened there, this motion having the effect of first closing the auxiliary outlet-valve and then opening the bottom outlet-valve D E. By turning the hand wheel C upon the screwed rod 0 an adjustment of the amount of opening of the outlet-valve may be effected.

Although in the construction illustrated the outlet-valve comprises a downwardly-tapering cone working in a cylindrical bell, it is to be understood that a valve similar to that described as the auxiliary valve might be used as the bottom outlet-valve, the essential feature of valves according to this invention being that there shall be an annular orifice for the issuing air capable of adjustment by axial relative movement of the two valve members.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In liquid-raising apparatus of the airlift type, the combination of an air-supply pipe, a rising main for the liquid, the crosssectional area of such main increasing from the bottom to the top, an adjustable injector air-outlet valve at the lower end of the airsupply pipe, the same comprising a downwardly-extended hollow cone, a cylindrical bell into which the cone extends,the lower end of the cone being adapted to have a seating againstthe bell, and aconnection between the cone and bell adapted to permit of axial movement between the same, an auxiliary adjustable injector-valve between the outletvalve and an outflow-opening in the rising main, means for impartinga spiral motion to the air in the rising main and means for adjusting the valves.

2. In liquid-raising apparatus of the airlift type, the combination of an air-supply pipe, a rising main for the liquid, the crosssectional area of such main increasing from the bottom to the top, an adjustable injector air-outlet valve at the lower end of the airsupply pipe, an auxiliary adjustable injectorvalve between the outlet-valve and an outflow-opening in the rising main, said auxiliary valve comprising a cone secured to the air-supply pipe, a surrounding sleeve having a seating for the cone, and spiral guides formed in the sleeve, and means for adjusting the main and auxiliary valves.

3. In liquid-raising apparatus of the air' lift type the combination of a rising main for the liquid the cross-sectional area of such main increasing from the bottom to the top, an air-supply pipe within the rising main, a conical outlet-valve at the bottom of the airsupply pipe, a cylindrical casing around such valve, guide-vanes upon the cone, a conical auxiliary outlet-valve in the air-supply pipe between the bottom outlet-valve and a liquid-outilow opening in the rising main, a sleeve or casing around the conical auxiliary valve, spiral guides Within the casing, spiral vanes upon the exterior of the air-supply pipe, a cylinder in communication with the top of the air-supply pipe and with a source of pressure, a piston within the cylinder,

means for balancing the weight of the piston and air-supply pipe and means for adjusting the position of such piston and pipe substantially as set forth.

4. In liquid-raising apparatus of the airlift type the combination of a rising main for the liquid the cross-sectional area of such main increasing from the bottom to the top, an air-supply pipe within the rising main, a conical outlet-valve at the bottom of the airsupply pipe a cylindrical casing around such valve, guide-vanes upon the cone, a conical auxiliary outlet-valve in the air-supply pipe between the bottom outlet-valve and a liquid-outflow opening in the rising main, a sleeve or casing around the conical auxiliary valve, spiral guides within the casing, spiral vanes upon the exterior of the air-supply pipe and means for raising and lowering the air-supply pipe substantially as set forth.

5. In liquid-raising apparatus of the airlift type the combination of a rising main for the liquid the cross-sectional area of such main increasing from the bottom to the top, an air-supply pipe within the rising main, a conical outlet-valve at the bottom of the airsupply pipe, a cylindrical casing around such valve, guide-vanes upon the cone and means for opening closing and adjusting the outletvalve substantially as set forth.

6. In liquid-raising apparatus of the airlift type the combination with an air-supply pipe, of an outlet-valve comprising a hollow cone, a sleeve or casing around the cone, a seating for the cone within the casing, spiral guides within the casing and means for raising and lowering the cone to regulate the orifice between the cone and its seating substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH PRICE.

Witnesses:

HARRY B. BRIDGE, A. J. FRENCH. 

